Those were unchangeable facts. Adrian tried to console her. "It's all in the past now. What you should be thinking about is how countless people have yearned to live forever without aging but have failed. Yet, you've succeeded in just that. You've managed to live for more than a thousand years, yet you haven't aged one bit. Do you have any idea how many people dream of being like you?"Rozi rolled her eyes. "More accurately, I've been asleep for more than a thousand years, so how was that any different from being dead?""The dead never wake but those who are asleep will.""So in terms of age, don't you think it'd be appropriate for you to address me as your great-grandmother?" Adrian was startled by this sudden question and quickly cleared his throat in awkwardness. Rozi burst out in laughter. "You're only in your twenties, while I've lived for over a thousand years. It’d be more than appropriate for me to be your ancestor, regardless of how you look at it.""No comment." Adr
But something had attracted Leonardo's attention. Seeing how nobody took him seriously, Leonardo took one last look at the cave before leaving with everyone else.***The night was without incident.Adrian and Rozi arrived at Mount Gremont's headquarters at noon the next day. Their helicopter landed on the helipad above. They got out and gazed at the base."I heard that Oliver was an outstanding archaeologist. Just look at how neat and tidy this whole place is," Adrian said as he observed his surroundings.Rozi was mesmerized by the large area. The base looked extremely spectacular standing within the snowy mountain. Though the working conditions here were harsh, it looked as though the engineering team would complete the railway without any problems.Rozi was curious. "Adrian, why are they building a railway through the mountain? Won’t this require a huge amount of resources?"Adrian smiled. "The railway is crucial if Navia wishes to survive against the vast numbers of outland
Everyone looked over and cleared a path for Adrian. They all addressed him respectfully as he walked past.Adrian nodded and asked, "What's the situation inside?"A few workers were calling out to Oliver and the others through their walkie-talkies. Some were even observing the situation through surveillance cameras, but the cameras were malfunctioning. One of the technical staff said, "Sir, we lost contact with Mr. Oliver more than half an hour ago. He’s wearing a helmet that has a camera mounted to it, but it's not showing us anything. We can't contact him through his walkie-talkie either."Adrian looked toward the cave. He shone his flashlight on the traces of ruins that could be seen. The place was pitch dark, causing the flashlight's range to decrease. "Hmm?" Rozi murmured as she walked toward the cave."What's the matter, Rozi?""Something feels off… It's as if something terrifying is inside. I'm worried those men may be in grave danger. We need to get in there and save t
It was a gigantic and marvelous palace frozen in ice. Everything within was sealed. The palace was massive and imposing, lighting up with a bright glow as the ice reflected the beams from flashlights."My goodness.”Everyone marveled at the gigantic palace. Despite being frozen for thousands of years, the palace still exuded a mysterious temperament. The grand hall of the palace and everything within were encased in ice. "What is this place?"“This huge structure is unbelievable."Lane and the others exclaimed in astonishment. None of them had expected such a splendid-looking palace to exist inside Mount Gremont. Their flashlights shone through the palace, lighting up the place as their light reflected off the ice. Adrian and Rozi stood in front of the group, peering at the palace's interior.Rozi said, "This palace is huge. My guess is that it used to be a marvelous place. Everything has been preserved to perfection, but I can't figure out where this palace came from."Adrian
Lane began to panic. Gendry Barnes was one of the people Oliver had brought with him in search of Leonardo an hour ago. Gendry seemed to have come across something dangerous and was at death's door."Gendry, wake up! Gendry!" Lane shouted. Perhaps hearing Lane's voice, Gendry's eyes flickered. Weakened, he looked at Lane and shivered. "M-Mr. Lane…""What happened to you? War Legate Draco is here, so you’re all right now. Tell us what happened.""W-War Legate Draco, t-there's a monster inside. Mr. Oliver and the others… They ran inside to hide…" Gendry pointed to the distance. Adrian held Gendry's shoulder and asked, "Was it the monster who injured you?""Yes…”"What kind of monster was it?" Gendry started drawing an image of the monster on the ground with his blood. However, he died before he could finish."Gendry! Gendry!!!" Lane yelled, but Gendry was already dead. After taking a deep breath, everyone looked at the drawing. It was a humongous figure, capable of standing
Rozi's terrified look sent shivers down everyone's spines.Adrian realized something—Rozi's memories had been altered. More accurately, part of her memories had been erased. She had seen this before, so looking at that drawing somehow triggered her. She could not remember what the monster was exactly, but it was clear that it was a terrifying creature.Rozi screamed as her terror grew. "Get out! We need to leave!”It was like the monster spelled everyone's doom."Lane!" Adrian called out.Lane walked over with a stern expression. He had mentally prepared himself, his gun at the ready, but did not dare to make any sudden moves."What are your orders, sir?""Have everyone leave their equipment here. I want you all to leave through the same route we came in. Then, you're going to call War Legate Dominus. Tell him to send our elites to guard the cave. He also needs to install alarms and surveillance cameras fifty meters deep into the cave. "If we're the ones to leave first, then n
She could not recall where she had seen the monster before, but her instincts were telling her it was extremely dangerous. The palace fell silent after everyone left. Adrian bent over to ask, "How are you feeling? Have you recalled anything?"Rozi shook her head. "I can't remember anything, but I can't shake the feeling I've been here before. I can tell that my memories have been reset, but I can't recall what was erased.""Maybe you’ve been here during your time."Rozi nodded.Adrian gazed into the distance and calmly said, "If you were here more than a thousand years ago, it's likely that this place is closely connected to that person. We'll be able to discover a lot of answers from this place. Maybe they’re wary of people discovering this place because it contains their weaknesses. Part of your memories may have been erased because of this."Aside from everything Adrian said, there was one other thing that was clear. The Creator was not invincible. Them erasing Rozi's memorie
Dragonbane exuded heat, seeming to have a mind of its own as it shone brightly.As they traveled deeper into the palace, the pair came across some huge fallen pillars. Inky black in color and placed in a complex sequence, these pillars held up the palace once. They had engraving all over them.Adrian walked toward the nearest pillar. It was engraved with a dragon ascending up the pillar. "So cold,” he said as he touched the pillar.The entire pillar was encased in ice. Rozi took out a flashlight, and Adrian taught her how to turn it on.When it was on, Rozi shone the light on the pillar and said, "The pillars have been around for a very long time. They’ve become encased in ice. It looks brittle and easily destroyed."Adrian nodded. He was unable to tell what was hidden within the pillars since they were frozen solid. After studying the pillar, he realized something was off about the engraving. Rather than being a simple engraving of a dragon, it was formed by countless humans in a
The Daemon Emperor was startled."What is happening? This power..."Formless energy was surging forward, pressuring his nerves and senses.Below, Andy and the others trembled uncontrollably."Who is it?" Finnian stared into the crimson mist.Even Andy was horrified, his gaze locked on the unfolding scene in disbelief, and asked, "What is this? What exactly is happening?" At this moment, Adrian abruptly opened his eyes.Apparently, the Daemon Emperor had once conspired with Adrian's subordinates to ambush him.However, Adrian had managed to annihilate the traitors and sealed this Daemon Emperor. Now, fate had brought them together again."If I killed you once, I can kill you again." Adrian stood tall, his white robes fluttering in the air.The Daemon Emperor was stunned into silence."This is impossible! You're not that mortal boy!""Is that so? In this life, your end has come, and so has the era of the daemons." Adrian's voice was calm yet resolute. He stretched out his han
Adrian's face hardened at the words. He despised threats above all else. While he understood what the mysterious entity desired, he couldn't yet fully comprehend its implications or find a way to counter it. His only choice was to focus on growing stronger.Within the hot spring, waves of raw, terrifying power surged and crashed violently against Adrian's body.The force, though beneficial, was brutal and overwhelming. Adrian's body struggled to endure, cracking as though it were disintegrating."Arghhh!"A heart-wrenching scream echoed as Adrian's flesh was torn apart and his aura gradually dimmed."Ahhh!"His agonized cries echoed once more. He could no longer withstand the pain.In the distance, a towering figure appeared and sneered. "What's this? Can't take it anymore? Pathetic. Humans are truly the epitome of stupidity."Suddenly, Adrian erupted with an explosive surge of energy, and in that instant, he broke through to the pinnacle of the Void Stage."Hmm? He actually b
At that moment, the crowd was speechless.Adrian had ascended as if it were the easiest thing in the world.Faced with such a sight, no one could say much beyond admiration. Even if the Holy Son claimed Adrian had cheated, many secretly wished they could cheat the same way.Lacking Adrian's means, all they could do was envy him.Finnian chuckled. "Haha! You really caught us all by surprise, kid. Still, I'll count this as you repaying me a favor."For Finnian, the outcome couldn't have been better. With a broad smile, he seemed to have achieved his desired result. Adrian's successful climb was all that mattered to him.Once Adrian had vanished, the focus shifted to the rest of the group and their trials.When Adrian opened his eyes again, his entire body ached, but an oddly comforting sensation flowed through him. Surveying his surroundings, he realized he was now in a pond."Where am I?" he asked.Though uncertain about the place, Adrian knew he had cleared the trial and arriv
The onlookers stared in bewilderment, their faces etched with confusion as they struggled to grasp the unfolding events.Meanwhile, Adrian seethed with barely contained rage. This wasn't his first encounter with such torment. Every few steps he ascended, another trial awaited.To Adrian, the relentless punishments felt suffocating. Yet he pressed on—this was the final stretch of the climb. "Adrian, hang in there!" Andy shouted, urging him to conquer the last step. To Andy, reaching that final step symbolized Adrian's growth. He had witnessed Adrian's remarkable resilience countless times and held unwavering faith in his potential. In Andy's eyes, Adrian was destined for greatness. Adrian's expression turned cold as he locked his gaze on the steps ahead. Determination flickered in his eyes. "If reaching the top guarantees a reward, it doesn't have to be me up there. As long as someone makes it, that's enough." With that, he shifted his focus to the void above and formed
Adrian felt as if every nerve in his body was beyond his control. A deep sense of grievance filled his heart as the divine thunder from the void relentlessly crashed down.Rage surged within him, but under the onslaught of endless forces, he felt weak and constrained.Still, he had no choice but to press forward. He knew victory was within reach if he could endure a little longer—giving up now would mean death.If he fell, the shame and humiliation would crush him.Below, the Holy Son and others waited, eager to see him fail and mock him. This left Adrian no option but to push forward, striving toward the void above and his ultimate goal.The violent forces continued to bombard him from the sky.With every step, the thunder's impact intensified tenfold. His soul, already battered from a fierce battle with a horde of beasts, now felt as though it was dragging his exhausted body forward.Anyone else would likely have succumbed to despair. After all, under such immense pressure, ev
The oppressive forces descending from the void seemed determined to halt Adrian’s ascent up the staircase.Yet he refused to yield. To him, these overwhelming challenges were merely obstacles to conquer.He pressed forward with relentless determination.Thunderbolts continued to rain down, but the ominous red light from before did not return—a relief, as he never wished to endure its crushing weight again.The memory of that light still haunted him, leaving a lingering sense of helplessness. Its suffocating pressure had drained his strength, reducing him to a gasping, powerless state.Despite the toll on his body and mind, Adrian remained singularly focused on reaching the final step. His burning desire for greater power drove him forward, unwavering and resolute.Step by step, he ascended, reaching the 95th step in what felt like an instant.Only five steps remained. His gaze locked onto the summit, and a wild glint lit his eyes. A daring idea sparked within him, consuming his
Adrian pondered his situation, his cold gaze reflecting simmering frustration. Yet deep down, he recognized that whoever had designed the staircase was far from ordinary.Creating such a formidable trial required unimaginable power.Even a pinnacle Void Stage expert—or perhaps someone of the Multiply Stage—might bow in reverence before the ladder's creator."He won't last much longer. The divine lightning in this void is utterly destructive. In moments, he'll be reduced to ashes," sneered the Holy Son, his sharp eyes gleaming with malice.To the Holy Son, Adrian's demise was inevitable. Adrian had dared to offend him, and he was certain such audacity could only lead to death.Adrian caught the Holy Son's words and cast him a frosty glare. His intent to kill was unmistakable, though now wasn't the time.The staircase was no place for personal vendettas—eliminating him here would require careful planning.He also knew the Holy Son carried seals of immense power. A reckless move co
Finnian's sharp gaze reflected a hint of admiration. "Kid, you owe me a big favor this time. You'd better treasure this opportunity."Adrian remained silent, unsure how to respond. His cold eyes revealed no emotion, though he fully grasped the challenges ahead.Fear was a luxury he couldn't afford—he'd come too far to back down now.Suddenly, a streak of red light surged from the void, hurtling toward Adrian with terrifying speed. His eyes widened in shock as the crimson beam struck him, slamming him against the staircase.Caught off guard, Adrian collapsed, sprawled helplessly on the steps.The crowd below watched in astonishment. No one had expected his seemingly indestructible body to be overwhelmed so easily.The Holy Son sneered. "Haha! It seems he's triggered some kind of taboo. Let's see how arrogant he is now!"His voice dripped with schadenfreude, his eyes gleaming with malicious satisfaction as he relished Adrian's struggle.Despite the crushing force, Adrian refused
"What exactly is up there pulling me so strongly?" Adrian's expression hardened as he pondered the mysterious force drawing him upward.A surge of violent energy erupted across the sky, crashing down like a raging storm.Adrian advanced cautiously, each step deliberate and precise.Gone were the reckless strides of before—now he moved with steely determination, fully aware of the lurking dangers.He'd learned that the void's formidable forces seemed to target him directly, compelling him to proceed step by step. Any attempt to bypass its unseen barriers would provoke a devastating strike."Ridiculous," Adrian muttered. "If I've chosen to climb, nothing will stop me."The void's relentless power intensified.Bolts of thunder hammered down mercilessly, battering Adrian's body. Yet fear never crossed his mind.What was there to be afraid of?To him, the divine thunder wasn't an obstacle—it was a crucible, a tool to temper his body and strengthen his resolve.Despite the storm, A